Japan’s whaling plan on agenda

Three dead minke whales lie on the deck of the Japanese whaling vessel Nisshin Maru in the Southern Ocean. (AP Photo/Tim Watters, Sea Shepherd Australia)

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop expects to discuss Japan’s decision to start whaling again during a meeting with the Japanese environment minister in Paris.

Ms Bishop is holding a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of major United Nations climate talks in Paris. She’ll meet with Japan’s Environment Minister Tamayo Marukawa on Tuesday (AEDT) and suspects the country’s resumption of whaling will be a pressing topic.

“Given that Australia has put out a public statement in opposition to the decision … I anticipate that that will be a matter of discussion between us,” she told reporters ahead of the bilateral meeting on Tuesday.

Ms Bishop and Environment Minister Greg Hunt on Monday issued a warning to Japan via the public statement, saying Australia was looking into possible legal action over the deeply disappointing decision.

Japan decided to commence whaling this summer despite advice to the contrary from the International Whaling Commission.

‘The science is clear: all information necessary for management and conservation of whales can be obtained through non-lethal methods,’ the joint statement said.

Ms Bishop is heading the Australian delegation in Paris for the second week of high-level negotiations at the UN summit, which is hoped to produce a historic agreement to slash global emissions.